Lazy as a lazy cake

Two months in Finland and I haven't cooked anything worth blogging except for that failed attempt at dhal and that never ending fried rice.

It's deep autumn and it's getting colder. I like it though. Four sets of thermal top and long pants from friends in the Philippines should keep me warm during my first Finnish winter.

And like a child waiting for the first snow to fall, I eagerly await for my first experience of snow and of white Christmas.

When all my coursework for this term is done, I will have time to plan my travels. I want to see more of Europe. Another goal is to have set foot in all major continents before I hit 40.

Asia - check
Europe - check
Australia - check
America - hopefully next year
Africa - possible now that I know someone from Uganda.
Antartica - ok, maybe except this one.

And because I'm lazy to cook anything to celebrate my 2nd month in Finland, let me share with you this Lazy Cake recipe. It was introduced to me by my Lithuanian classmate. She made this twice already and I like it. Last Sunday, she brought some for our Sunday meditation group which was organized by a Finnish classmate. We're doing Diamond Way meditation and I believe it's japa meditation, or mantra repetition-type of meditation. We had tea and lazy cake after the sitting practice. It was great. I will prepare Swedish chocolate balls for the group in 2 weeks. It's the Russian classmate's turn next week and she will bring her famous brownies.

Sunday sangha: meditation + tea + chocolates = Nirvana.

This is not the exact recipe. Lithuanian friend said hers is easier. She'll teach me how next time so you can be as lazy as this version for now.

Chocolate Lazy cake (easiest ever) Recipe : Huda Abu Hamdia Recipes | LifeStyle FOOD

Turn back the clock...

Daylight saving time started this morning at 4am.

Let's learn some Finnish phrases

Moi! Hyvää iltaa.(Hello! Good evening!)

Mitä kuuluu? (How are you?)

Mun nimi on Jonni. Hauska tutustua!  Mä oon Filippiiniläinen. Minkämaalainen sä olet? (My name is Jon. Glad to meet you. I'm a Filipino. What's your nationality?)

Mä oon kolmekymmentäneljä vuotta vanha. Mä asuin Manilla, mutta mä olen kotoisin Davaosta.  Missä sä asut?  (I'm 34 years old. I lived in Manila, but originally I come from Davao. Where do you live?)

Mä puhun englantia, filippiiniä, ja vähän kiinaa.  Mitä kieliä sä puhut? (I speak English, Filipino, and a little Chinese.  What languages do you speak?)

Mä opiskelen yliopistossa liikunta psykologiaa.  Mitä sä opiskelet yliopistossa? (I study sport psychology at the university.  What do you study at the university?)

Mun puhelinnumero on nolla-neljä-yksi-seitsemän-nolla-yksi-seitsemän-kolme-neljä-yksi. (My telephone number is...)

In pursuit of excellence

In our asana practice, do we see it as a pursuit of pleasure or a pursuit of excellence?

I posted this on twitter two weeks ago and it made some of my friends reflect back on their own practice.  I was reading an article on leadership in sport and one section talked about the purpose of sport participation.

Pursuit of pleasure refers to participating in a physical activity for the sake of fun and pleasure.  “It’s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game” would be the favorite cliché of someone engaging in sport for pleasure.  To put it simply, pursuit of pleasure is focused on the process of participation in one’s chosen activity.

On the other hand, pursuit of excellence means striving to perform at the highest level in comparison to one’s peers.  While it requires a very high level of dedication, sustained efforts, and great amounts of sacrifice typical of an ashtanga practice, it would also mean establishing superiority, attaining a certain status, and thus, competing with others.  Yoga stresses non-competition.  When we think of our asana practice as a pursuit of excellence, does it mean we want to show our mastery in the asanas thus establish our superiority?

A hot soup to end a long and cold day...

Mitä kuuluu? Kiitos hyää.  Entä sulle? Ei mitään erikoista.

(How are you? I'm well thank you. And you? Nothing special)

But it was really cold this morning and it's not even winter yet.

This day was really long and to think it's only the start of the week.

So when I got 'home', I opened a can of ice cold beer while preparing dinner... creamy vegetable macaroni soup.

And I have a new discovery! Single bulb or elephant garlic.  I've never seen it before. It is apparently not a true garlic but a cousin of leek.
 
Anyway, I sauteed the garlic, 1/4 of a big white onion chopped, until translucent and fragrant.  I then added 1 cup of dried macaroni, stirred it into the garlic-onion mixture, added 3 cups of water and allowed to boil.

When the water started boiling, I turned the heat low and added chopped potatoes about 1 medium size or the size of an Asian fist :-p.  Adjusted the heat to high until it has returned to boiling and then turned it low again.

When the pasta and potatoes are half-cooked, I added 1 cup of mixed veggies (carrots, peas, red peppers, corn), about a cup of diced tofu (I used the marinated one that tasted like sausage.  I bought it from the organic shop in the city center, and I'm still trying all the available varieties), and a veg stock cube.  I added more water from time to time to prevent the mixture from drying out.

When the vegetables and pasta are cooked, I seasoned it with salt, black pepper, and some dried herbs.  To finish, I added one cup of fresh milk, and a tablespoon of butter.  I think it could serve 2-3 persons but I just had the last of it. 

Se oli herkullista (It was delicious!!!)

One month in Finland

Grabe, time flies fast when you're enjoying it.  I've been in Finland for one month and it seems like I've been here for so long.  University life has been amazing and I'm learning a lot from the best professors in the field of sport and exercise psychology (SEP).  My mind was already thinking about sharing all these new knowledge to my dear UP.  For sure, I will first share it with my beloved UP Pep Squad and then I was thinking maybe it will help the UP Fighting Maroons to have a better mental attitude.  I'm not a basketball fan but my colleagues back home used to say that they have the talent.  It's just not working.  This topic should be discussed in the other blog but couldn't decide yet if I should make that blog a little more formal or should I keep it similar to this but just focus on SEP.

To open each day with heart full of gratitude and thanksgiving.

That is one of the many things that I learned from Paul.  I am grateful to be here in Finland.  It's a beautiful country and for a student of ashtanga and sports, it is the best place to be.